Charity appeal after 28 promotional 'scrap' bikes are stolen

ORGANISERS of a major charity cycle in Mayo next February are in a spin following the theft of 28 'scrap' bikes which were to be used to promote the event.

The redundant two-wheelers, painted bright orange, were to have been cable-tied to poles and trees between Westport and Louisburgh as a means of promoting the Cycle Against Suicide on Saturday, February 20.

Thirty-one of the bikes were affixed to poles on the 48-kilometre route between Galway City and Athenry for the organisation's last fundraiser (which raised €4,500 for suicide prevention) on November 21.

But when volunteers travelled the length of the Galway route to collect the bikes last week in preparation for the upcoming Westport Spinoff they were dismayed to find that 28 of them were missing.

'It's very disappointing to say the least,' explained Aidan Gill, one of the organisers of the Westport Spinoff.

He added: 'It's hard to imagine why anyone would go to the trouble of travelling the entire length of the Galway Spinoff and stealing practically every bike that had been fixed to poles along the route. These bikes are no longer fit for cycling purposes and therefore hardly very valuable.”

Mr. Gill appealed to anybody who might be able to donate old bikes for the promotion of the Mayo Spinoff to contact him at (086) 8107692.

Cycle Against Suicide was started by entrepreneur Jim Breen as a result of his appearance on RTÉ’s The Secret Millionaire programme. The main objective of the cycle is to raise awareness of the considerable help and supports that are available for anyone battling depression, self-harm, at risk of suicide or those bereaved by suicide.